Drosophila (Sophophora) persimilis Dobzhansky and Epling, 1944

Grimaldi, David A., 2024, The Drosophila (Sophophora) obscura species group in the Americas (Diptera: Drosophilidae): review, revisions, and three new species, American Museum Novitates 2024 (4015), pp. 1-44 : 36-37

Drosophila (Sophophora) persimilis Dobzhansky and Epling

Figures 8D , 10D ; 13C, D ; 16C

Drosophila persimilis Dobzhansky and Epling, 1944: 7 .

DIAGNOSIS: Facial carina with edge slightly flattened; acrostichal setae in 8 rows; sex comb with usually 6 teeth on ta1 (range of 5–7), usually 5 on ta2 (range of 4–6). Distinguished from sympatric D. pseudoobscura by tip of aedeagus not quite reaching to tips of closed, folded postgonites ( Rizki, 1951) (but see below). Spermatheca with deep, conical, annulate sleeve; no apical indentation; ventral margin of oviscapt with fewer ovisensilla than in D. pseudoobscura .

TYPE: No types found; none are mentioned by Dobzhansky and Epling (1944: 7), although “ Type locality: Reedsport , Oregon ” was reported .

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: 1♂ ( ASG36 ), 1♀ ( ASG38 ): Drosophila persimilis , culture 14011- 0111.0, DNA seq publ by V. Schawaroch, 2002 [specimens from voucher series] .

DISTRIBUTION: Along the west coast of North America from British Columbia and Vancouver Island in the north to Santa Barbara, California in the south. It prefers wet, cool, coastal climate in the northern parts of its range, and high elevations in the Cascades and Sierra Nevadas ( Dobzhansky and Epling, 1944) .

COMMENTS: The figures of the male genitalia by Rizki (1951) show the postgonites as if they were turned laterally (perhaps these spread out under the coverslip); the apices curve dorsally, so in a full ventral view of the genitalia the apical curvature is not seen. Relative lengths of the aedeagus and postgonites are doubtfully a reliable character to separate D. persimilis and D. pseudoobscura .

Figures

FIG. 8. Oviscapts and spermathecae (lateral views) of species in the pseudoobscura subgroup, with a detail for D. persimilis. A. D. cuauhtemoci (ASG 39); B. D. lowei (ASG 26); C. D. maya (ASG 19); D. D. persimilis (ASG 37); E. D. pseudoobscura (ASG 34); F. D. zapoteca (ASG 21).

FIG. 10. Protarsal male sex combs of species in the D. pseudoobscura subgroup. A. D. cuauhtemoci; B. D. lowei (ASG 40); C. D. maya (ASG 41); D. D. persimilis (ASG 36); E. D. pseudoobscura (ASG 35); F. D. zapoteca (ASG 01). All to the same scale.

FIG. 13. Epandria and associated structures in representative species of the pseudoobscura subgroup. A. D. cuauhtemoci (ASG 38); B. Detail of A; C. D. persimilis (ASG 36); D. Detail of C; E. D. zapoteca, n. sp. (ASG 20).

FIG. 16. Hypandrium, aedeagus and other appendages of representative species of the pseudoobscura subgroup. A. D. cuauhtemoci (ASG 38); B. D. maya (ASG 02: Guatemala), with details of pregonite lobes; C. D. persimilis (ASG 36); D. D. zapoteca, n. sp. (ASG 20: holotype)